Arizona Trails

Arizona, a popular backpacking and hiking destination known for its desert terrain and deep canyons, is located in the southwestern U.S.

Arizona borders New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, California, Colorado and Mexico. While southern Arizona is known for its desert climate, northern Arizona boasts lush forests, the Colorado Plateau, deep canyons, and mountain ranges including the volcanic San Francisco Peaks.

Arizona is home to the Grand Canyon, which was carved by the Colorado River and is one of the seven natural wonders of the world. The Grand Canyon is 277 river miles long, up to 18 miles wide and 1 mile deep.

The editors at Backpacker have created an extensive collection of popular trails and trips in Arizona.

We’re all for tagging summits, but the best way to experience a peak? Hike around it. You’ll see a mountain’s many faces on a single, peak-circling loop. These 14 trips circumnavigate the best of the best.